U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/503,806 presents a general system and method for the digitally-controlled application of reflectance modifying agents (RMAs) through drop control technologies, such as inkjet printing. One aspect of that earlier application is that surprising aesthetic results are possible with the selective deposition of very small amounts of an RMA.
In one embodiment of that application, transparent dyes were deposited precisely by an inkjet printer in a manner that preserved natural high spatial frequency features, but disguised less desirable middle spatial frequency features. That embodiment included a scanning and deposition device that was aware of its position relative to the face or body-part being treated. In addition to the camouflaging or morphing of particular skin features, the embodiment permitted the use of color to provide an apparent re-shaping of a region of skin, such as rounder or more slender cheek appearance. Another embodiment of the earlier application included a smoothing mode which did not require positional awareness.
In the current invention, the concept of the surprising and pleasing results from the selective deposition of RMAs is extended to describe various deposition strategies; deposition ranges for pigmented RMAs, and various devices for selective deposition, including non-drop control spray devices. These pigmented RMAs may be similar to traditional cosmetic formulations, or may deliberately be highly differentiated with respect to desired skin luminance. The devices may be used to treat a relatively large skin area such as a face, arm, or leg; or the devices may be used to selectively treat only one or a few skin features of interest to the user without moving a scanning or deposition element over other areas of the skin.
The prior art has suggested inkjet printing or the computer controlled application of cosmetic designs such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,124 to Desormeaux, and U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0078278 to Dauga. However, these references suggest adapting computers or inkjet printers to conventional tattooing or makeup practices. There has been little motivation to adapt digital technologies to cosmetic deposition because there has been no compelling reason to substitute digital technologies for the “fingers and sticks” which have been used to apply cosmetic agents for many centuries. The current invention provides a novel cosmetic practice—that of using much less cosmetic agent in a highly selective and precise manner.
There is a need for a method and apparatus to improve appearance by selectively applying small amounts of a cosmetic agent to a region of skin. There is a need to support sparse deposition strategies, such that large portions of the skin area retain a natural appearance. In addition to the more natural appearance, sparse applications have a much lighter feel than traditional cosmetics; and the sparse applications permit the use of compositions and formulations, such as for improved durability, that may not be practical for traditional cosmetic deposition.
Prior art techniques for modifying the appearance of skin include natural tanning, artificial tanning, and the deliberate application of cosmetics. Each of these prior art techniques has limitations.
Typically, the applications of cosmetic substances to skin are largely manual, for example through the use of brushes, application tubes, pencils, pads, and fingers. These application methods make prior art cosmetics imprecise, labor intensive, expensive, and sometimes harmful, when compared to the techniques of the present invention.
When RMAs are applied precisely, a much smaller amount of the agent can be used than with traditional cosmetics. In the current invention, a small amount of an RMA may be applied in some areas, and other areas may have no RMA applied. This combination of less RMA and non-uniform coverage permits a more natural look.
Manual cosmetic applications are imprecise compared to computer-controlled techniques, and this imprecision may make them less effective. For example, the heavy application of a foundation base for makeup may cause an unattractive, caked-on appearance.
There is a need for the selective precise application of reflectance modifying agents (RMAs) to provide a more effective, more automated, faster, and less expensive modification of the appearance of skin.